Activities Program

In 1954, Joan Erikson, wife of Riggs staff member Erik Erikson, introduced a revolutionary activities program based on the principle that “…art, crafts, drama, intellectual pursuits, involvement in the nursery school or greenhouse program are productive for personal growth and development in any individual. These activities … promote change in a positive direction, support competence, and enhance the dignity and identity of the person involved.”

Working in an environment deliberately separated from the intensive treatment atmosphere, patients take up the role of “student” as they participate in a variety of artistic and intellectual endeavors in the Activities Program. Artisans and teachers--specialists in their fields, and not trained as clinicians--work with individuals and groups, opening possibilities for creative expression and the use of new skills.

Trained professionals offer individual instruction and workshops in fiber arts, woodworking, ceramics and visual arts classes in a dedicated studio space on Main Street, Stockbridge. Called “The Lavender Door”, the historic building is located beyond the main campus of Riggs, in the center of town.

Riggs Theatre 37
A theatre program is also offered under the direction of Kevin Coleman, who also serves at the Director of Education at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. The program includes classes, in-house productions and public performances that take place in the intimate, 75-seat theatre, located on the second floor of the Lavender Door. Patients are provided with an enjoyable, in-depth experience of the actor’s craft: movement, voice training, and exploration of written text. Two main productions are mounted each year, which are also open to outside actors and the public. The atmosphere is supportive, playful and exciting, and previous acting experience is not required. Recent productions include Peter Barnes’ Red Noses, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, by Bertold Brecht, and William Gibson's The Butterfingers Angel.

The Greenhouse
Patients are also encouraged to dig in and enjoy caring for plants in the greenhouse, located on the Stockbridge campus. Space is available throughout the year for private indoor gardens, while outdoor areas are also designated for summer gardening. Patients learn how to start and care for plants, and how new plants are propagated, from shrubs and herbs to cacti and flowers.

Montessori School
Another aspect of the Activities Program is the Austen Riggs Montessori School, established in 1955. The school fosters positive early learning experiences for local children, ages two and a half to six. In 1955, Joan Erikson described the motivation for establishing a nursery school within a psychiatric setting as a way for patients to experience childhood as observers and as participants. Patient interns and teachers’ aides work with the school's Director in all aspects of the school.